The best flat bar road bikes are like your regular road bikes; the difference is their handlebar. The road bike handlebar is usually a drop bar, but this hybrid uses a flat bar.
Initially, this change in handlebars required a lot of adjustment to the road bicycles to make them fully functional and safe to ride. But now manufacturers have started constructing them from scratch and making modifications to suit their purpose better.
Flat Bar Road Bikes Reviews
There are probably many flat road bike reviews out there, but the bicycles we are going to go through here have been tested individually and are guaranteed to be the best flat bar road bikes you can find.
1. Schwinn Volare Adult Hybrid Road Bike
Schwinn makes some of the best bicycles in the world of cycling. They have different types of bikes and are at the top of the game. The Volare Hybrid Road Bike is their flat bar model. As expected, it’s one of the best flat bar road bicycles. The design is outstanding and its performance is up to par.
Flat bar bicycles are meant to be very light. This feature makes it possible for them to go very fast. The frame is made with aluminum to give it the lightness it needs. This bicycle is exactly what a road bike with flat bars should be.
Apart from the speed and weight of the bicycle, it’s also very comfortable to ride. The top tube is designed so you can ride comfortably without stressing your bike. One more thing about the Volare Hybrid Road Bike is the design.
2. 700c ST Formula Men’s Bike
The ST Formula Men’s Bike is a straight bar road bike and the frame is made of steel. The frame is designed to be strong and capable of attaining high speeds; it has an aerodynamic structure. Despite the material used to design the frame, it’s still one of the fastest road bikes.
As the name suggests, the ST Formula Men’s Bike is designed specifically for men. The bike has improved features that overcome some of the challenges that men face when riding regular bikes. If you’re a man that likes really fast bikes, you should look into this one.
Some of the main features are a steel frame and fork, the rear wheel is equipped with a flip flop hub, front and rear handbrakes, upright handlebar, aluminum rims, and 700c tires.
3. BAVEL Commuter Aluminum Road Bike
Flat bar road bicycles are known for their speed, and a bike capable of going very fast should also have high-quality brakes. The BAVEL road bike is one of the best flat bar road bicycles when it comes to brakes.
It makes use of disc brakes manufactured by Shimano. The disc brake is a very effective type of brake, especially those made by Shimano. It’s easy to apply, and it also has a fast response. This feature makes the bike suitable for riding on busy streets or in the city where you’ll need to apply your brakes a lot.
The frame and fork are made of aluminum. This makes the bike very light and easy to ride. Some bike features include a gender-neutral design, a 21-gear system, 700c wheels, and it weighs 27 pounds.
How to Buy the Best Flat Bar Road Bikes Under $500
To get the best flat handlebar road bike that satisfies your taste, you need to know some things first.
These factors need to be individually considered and weighed out so that you don’t end up with a bicycle that’s not right for you.
Frame
Before you get the fastest flat bar road bike with flat handlebars, you need to consider the weight of the frame. Normally flat bar road bicycles are lighter than other bicycles. But they don’t weigh the same. Some flat bar bicycles are lighter than others, and the frame’s weight is a major factor.
The frame could be made of steel or aluminum. If the frame is made of steel, it will be heavier than one with an aluminum frame.
Weight is an important determinant of speed. The lighter the bike, the faster it can go, so if you’re looking for something very fast, it’s better to go for the aluminum frame. The steel frame flat-bar road bike is stronger and will last you longer if you don’t mind a little weight.
Design
Most times, we pay more attention to our bike’s performance and parts, and overall appearance. But it’s not wrong to get a bicycle that’s good-looking.
Of course, the bike’s performance and features are more important features to consider. But it’s alright to get a bicycle that’s attractive to the eyes and has great performance.
Tires
The tires are something you have to decide on yourself because there are two tire types, and they both have their disadvantages. The two tire types are the thin tires (18mm to 28mm) and the thick tires (28mm to 32mm).
The thin tires allow your bicycle to go faster. If you’re more concerned about speed, you can go for the thin tires. However, thin tires make it less easy for you to maintain balance, especially off-road. They don’t absorb vibrations very well.
On the other hand, thick tires are good at absorbing vibrations, and you’ll hardly feel the effect of bumpy roads. But, the speed of your bike will be reduced. Don’t get us wrong, your bicycle will still be fast, but it won’t measure up to thin tires’ speed.
Brakes
For bicycles like the men’s flat bar road bikes with disc brakes, speed is their major feature. They must have brakes that can effectively control their speed. The most common and advisable type of brake to use with them is the disc brake.
The disc brake is a very efficient brake type. It has good stopping power and fast response. There are other types of brakes you can use like the rim brakes, but it’s better to get a bicycle with a disc brake.
Speeds
You may come across single-speed bikes or even some fixed gear bikes with flat handlebars.
As we said in the early part of this review, flat bar road bicycles were just normal road bikes with straight handlebars. So, you might still see some of these around.
However, true flat bar road bicycles are now being produced, and multiple speed gears are one of their unique features.
Gears
Since the main trait of flat bars is their speed, they have gears with high numbers. The number of gears is directly proportional to the bike’s speed, meaning the higher the number of gears, the higher the speed your bicycle can handle.
There are two gear types common; 21 and 24 gears. Both gears are very fast, but if you want to go faster, you can pick the 24-gear option.
Another advantage high gears have is their slope climbing ability. Bikes with high gears are good for paths with inclines like hills and mountains.
What is a Flat Bar Road Bicycle?
Flat road bikes are commonly referred to as fitness bikes. They originated from normal road bikes and with time they started designing them with their unique features.
The main properties are the flat handlebar and speed. They are very fast and they are specifically designed for that purpose.
The standard steel frame flat-bar road bike is lighter than your regular road or mountain bike. They are designed this way so that they can attain higher speeds.
The aerodynamic frame geometry of these bikes is specially designed to suit their speed requirement. The frames and rims are made from aluminum or steel, and they are always super light.
Conclusion
These cheap flat bar road bikes are a great improvement for cyclists. All the bikes we’ve written about are great bikes with amazing features. But the one that tops the tables on our list of best flat bar road bikes is the Schwinn Volare Adult Hybrid Bike. It’s the perfect model of a flat bar road bike and it’s extremely light.
It has a 21-speed gear with Shimano rear derailleur, EZ shifters that allow you to change gears with ease, and then it has brakes on both the front and rear wheel so that you can easily control your speed.